If the release of Peacock’s latest film, Strung, has taught us anything, it’s the richness and intent of Black storytelling. Debuting on June 26 on the streaming platform, the Malcolm D. Lee-directed movie takes viewers on an exhilarating journey of a young woman, portrayed by musical sensation Chloe Bailey, whose musical prowess lands her in the clutches of a wealthy, mysterious family whose secrets threaten to unravel her entire life. Alongside Bailey, the film features an ensemble cast of Hollywood royalty, including Miss Lynn Whitfield, Coco Jones, Lucien Laviscount, and Anna Diop. Set atop a backdrop of glamour, enigma, and familial ties, the psychological thriller marks Lee’s foray into the genre for the first time. For the accomplished director, the project presented an opportunity to expand his range while aligning with his personal interests.

“I’ve been wanting to exercise a different muscle for a while,” Lee shared with UPTOWN. “I don’t ever want to be a one-trick pony. As with some of my favorite directors, you just don’t know what they’re going to do, and I want to be in that category. I’m a storyteller first, and I love psychological thrillers, so when the script came across my desk, I couldn’t put it down. It was a page-turner. I was talking out loud to the script. I could see it completely and said, ‘Well, they want me to do it. I’m down. Let’s go. Let’s make it happen.’”

As the leading lady of the highly anticipated film, Bailey easily connected with her role as Laila, a gifted violinist still healing from her sister’s death. According to Bailey, the similarities between her real-life persona and the protagonist stem from both young women’s ironclad work ethic and passion for music.

“I definitely connected with Laila with the hunger, the devotion, and the dedication to her craft,” Bailey said. “And it was really her outlet for herself, as she was still grieving her sister’s passing, and it was her heartbeat. So, of course, when she gets offered a deal of a lifetime, she’s making money, and she gets to do what she loves in between breaks. She is tutoring a little girl who is the same age as her sister, who passed away. So she’s like, ‘I think I could see myself here,’ and then, events turn.”

Laviscount, who portrays Bailey’s inscrutable and charming love interest, Marcus, admits that his character’s arc revolves around focal points of conflict and complexity. The actor reveals his approach to playing the character involved collaboration with Lee to bring him fully to life.

“Honestly, he’s a complicated character, and he’s running this kind of game on himself, where he’s just living in conflict constantly,”  Laviscount said to UPTOWN. “So for me, diving in, there were a lot of conversations with Malcolm and just giving myself over in that respect to the character and to Malcolm’s idea of how we can play both sides at the same time without losing who Marcus is, but also kind of figuring out where he ends up.”

Another significant tenet of the emotionally charged film is that of sisterhood. Songstress and actress Coco Jones, who portrays Laila’s best friend, Jasmine, speaks to how that on-screen bond with her musical peer translated off camera as well. Jones states that the shared bond of being women in the music industry, along with their close relationships with their respective sisters, helped the two bond.

“I think that’s where Chloe and I really bonded, just talking about our sisters and how close we are with them and how they’ve just been a part of the highs and the lows that is this life of being in the industry,” Jones said.  It’s a very odd feeling, hard to understand if you’re not in it. I think my sister is one of the people that I definitely feel like has been my backbone. I really feel safe with her, and she’s seen me through the highs and lows because she’s given me a safe place to be, whatever I am.”

If there’s anyone poised to speak on the intricate relationship between working as a Black actress in Hollywood and the importance of leaning into sisterhood behind the scenes, it’s the legendary Miss Whitfield. The Grande Dame of Black Hollywood speaks to the importance of fostering that kind of camaraderie with women peers, recounting her relationship with fellow actress Miss Alfre Woodard.

“Back in the day, I did For Colored Girls, and it was right after Broadway, and we went on to Australia and the international company, and that’s when I met Alfre Woodard,” Whitfield recalled. I helped plan her wedding back in the day, and wherever we are, when we talk, it’s like no time has passed, and it’s just great for someone always to be happy for you. We’re happy for each other, and it’s just beautiful that relationships kind of stand the test of time, whether you’re together all the time or not. You don’t have to see each other. You can care from afar, and support if needed, and those relationships are meaningful.”

For those looking to view this latest addition to the already prestigious list of Black Hollywood works, fear not. We’ve just found the next classic. Strung is now available for viewing on Peacock.